Home for veterans to be discussed

CHERRYFIELD — A legislative proposal to build one of two health-care homes for military veterans in Washington County will be discussed at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4, in Room 113 of the State Office Building at Augusta.

At a meeting in Cherryfield earlier this week, Adfer Tenan of Cherryfield, a representative of the Cherryfield American Legion Post, described LD 2191, saying it would result in construction of one three-story care facility perhaps in Machias and another in western Maine. Tenan is chairman of the post’s veterans home project.

Doris Baker of Richmond, a retired registered nurse and member of the American Legion, also discussed the project and the importance of providing veterans’ facilities that would be more local and therefore more accessible to veterans.

Each of the proposed homes would provide nearly 100 jobs in health care and other services. Federal funds from the Veterans Administration would finance a portion of the project.

According to Tenan, the project has been under consideration since May 17, 1988. The multistage, three-level nursing home facility would satisfy some of the many basic and serious needs of military veterans, he said.

Earlier this week, Rep. Frank H. Farren Jr., R-Cherryfield, credited legislators from eastern Maine with having given their wholehearted support to LD 2191. Legislative delegations from Washington and Hancock counties, and American Indian representatives from the state have endorsed the proposal to establish veterans homes in both eastern and western Maine.

“In meeting with members of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, I have found that there seems to be some fairly strong support for establishment of such a home centrally located in Washington County, preferably the Machias area,” said Farren. He has worked on the project for four years.

The Washington County veterans home would serve veterans from Washington, Hancock and Penobscot counties.